A culinary online center dedicated to promoting the importance and the joy of American home cooking with an emphasis on local products and talent, celebrating the unique spirit and energy of the new food world ethos, especially in Vermont.

amuse bouche

I love quotes that add meaning to my life. Here are a few to live by:

Americans who have been to France and come home craving a reminder of their magical European experience, love Vermont cheeses.â€”Allison Hooper, founder, VT Butter & Cheese Creamery

Practice not cleaning your plate: it will help you eat less in short term and develop self-control in the long term.â€”Michael Pollan

My rule of thumb is, when in doubt, cook more than you think you may need.â€”Marian Cunningham, from Learning to Cook

Imagine Who Is Coming to Dinner

By Margo Davis

Judith Jones sitting at her kitchen table in New York

Imagine cooking for the food maven of all times, Judith Jonesâ€”the doyenne of cookbooks, producer of Julia Child, and editor par excellence!!

I am not even a highly experienced cook. I mean that I do cook and enjoy it but I am a humble student of the culinary arts. Of course, I practiced firstâ€¦ a trial run and all thatâ€¦ artisan made lamb merguez from Pinoâ€™s Meat Market on Sullivan St. over spinach and white beans in a garam masala with lots of garlic and some cayenne!! Spicy and flavorful! Wonderful winterâ€™s meal.

And, to be sure, I made a call to make sure that Judith had no food allergies. She said, â€śI do not believe in them!â€ť

We ate heartily: the lamb merquez on the bed of spicy spinach, crusty bread, a Shafer Red Shoulders Chardonnay to cool the palette against the spice, then a Vermont Brie from Blythedale, and an Espresso macchiato with Madeleines to finish. And, as always, with Judith, great conversation! â€śTutti a tavola mangiare e bere,â€ť to quote one of our favorites: Lidia Bastianich.

The punch line is this! I got stomach rumblings in the night and broke out in a sweatâ€¦(no pun intended) wondering if I had poisoned my guest! My husband was well, but was Judith?? My first attempts to reach her by phone failed and so I had visions of Judith holding her stomach and barely surviving cramps brought on by my failed culinary efforts!! Happily, no such catastrophe occurred. We both have survived dinner, me to tell the story and also to cook again for one of my favorite friends, Judith Jones.

Margo Davis is a photographer, friend, wife, mother, and grandmother who loves the world of food and enjoys it on both coasts, as well as in her many travels to France.

Imagine cooking for the food maven of all times, Judith Jonesâ€”the doyenne of cookbooks, producer of Julia Child, and editor par excellence!!

I am not even a highly experienced cook. I mean that I do cook and enjoy it but I am a humble student of the culinary arts. Of course, I practiced firstâ€¦ a trial run and all thatâ€¦ artisan made lamb merguez from Pinoâ€™s Meat Market on Sullivan St. over spinach and white beans in a garam masala with lots of garlic and some cayenne!! Spicy and flavorful! Wonderful winterâ€™s meal.

And, to be sure, I made a call to make sure that Judith had no food allergies. She said, â€śI do not believe in them!â€ť

We ate heartily: the lamb merquez on the bed of spicy spinach, crusty bread, a Shafer Red Shoulders Chardonnay to cool the palette against the spice, then a Vermont Brie from Blythedale, and an Espresso macchiato with Madeleines to finish. And, as always, with Judith, great conversation! â€śTutti a tavola mangiare e bere,â€ť to quote one of our favorites: Lidia Bastianich.

The punch line is this! I got stomach rumblings in the night and broke out in a sweatâ€¦(no pun intended) wondering if I had poisoned my guest! My husband was well, but was Judith?? My first attempts to reach her by phone failed and so I had visions of Judith holding her stomach and barely surviving cramps brought on by my failed culinary efforts!! Happily, no such catastrophe occurred. We both have survived dinner, me to tell the story and also to cook again for one of my favorite friends, Judith Jones.

Margo Davis is a photographer, friend, wife, mother, and grandmother who loves the world of food and enjoys it on both coasts, as well as in her many travels to France.

Imagine cooking for the food maven of all times, Judith Jonesâ€”the doyenne of cookbooks, producer of Julia Child, and editor par excellence!!

I am not even a highly experienced cook. I mean that I do cook and enjoy it but I am a humble student of the culinary arts. Of course, I practiced firstâ€¦ a trial run and all thatâ€¦ artisan made lamb merguez from Pinoâ€™s Meat Market on Sullivan St. over spinach and white beans in a garam masala with lots of garlic and some cayenne!! Spicy and flavorful! Wonderful winterâ€™s meal.

And, to be sure, I made a call to make sure that Judith had no food allergies. She said, â€śI do not believe in them!â€ť

We ate heartily: the lamb merquez on the bed of spicy spinach, crusty bread, a Shafer Red Shoulders Chardonnay to cool the palette against the spice, then a Vermont Brie from Blythedale, and an Espresso macchiato with Madeleines to finish. And, as always, with Judith, great conversation! â€śTutti a tavola mangiare e bere,â€ť to quote one of our favorites: Lidia Bastianich.

The punch line is this! I got stomach rumblings in the night and broke out in a sweatâ€¦(no pun intended) wondering if I had poisoned my guest! My husband was well, but was Judith?? My first attempts to reach her by phone failed and so I had visions of Judith holding her stomach and barely surviving cramps brought on by my failed culinary efforts!! Happily, no such catastrophe occurred. We both have survived dinner, me to tell the story and also to cook again for one of my favorite friends, Judith Jones.

Margo Davis is a photographer, friend, wife, mother, and grandmother who loves the world of food and enjoys it on both coasts, as well as in her many travels to France.

Imagine cooking for the food maven of all times, Judith Jonesâ€”the doyenne of cookbooks, producer of Julia Child, and editor par excellence!!

I am not even a highly experienced cook. I mean that I do cook and enjoy it but I am a humble student of the culinary arts. Of course, I practiced firstâ€¦ a trial run and all thatâ€¦ artisan made lamb merguez from Pinoâ€™s Meat Market on Sullivan St. over spinach and white beans in a garam masala with lots of garlic and some cayenne!! Spicy and flavorful! Wonderful winterâ€™s meal.

And, to be sure, I made a call to make sure that Judith had no food allergies. She said, â€śI do not believe in them!â€ť

We ate heartily: the lamb merquez on the bed of spicy spinach, crusty bread, a Shafer Red Shoulders Chardonnay to cool the palette against the spice, then a Vermont Brie from Blythedale, and an Espresso macchiato with Madeleines to finish. And, as always, with Judith, great conversation! â€śTutti a tavola mangiare e bere,â€ť to quote one of our favorites: Lidia Bastianich.

The punch line is this! I got stomach rumblings in the night and broke out in a sweatâ€¦(no pun intended) wondering if I had poisoned my guest! My husband was well, but was Judith?? My first attempts to reach her by phone failed and so I had visions of Judith holding her stomach and barely surviving cramps brought on by my failed culinary efforts!! Happily, no such catastrophe occurred. We both have survived dinner, me to tell the story and also to cook again for one of my favorite friends, Judith Jones.

Margo Davis is a photographer, friend, wife, mother, and grandmother who loves the world of food and enjoys it on both coasts, as well as in her many travels to France.